This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The professional Certificate in Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry requires at least 40 s.h. over a minimum of one year of full-time study. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in each course. The program prepares dentists to evaluate and manage the oral health problems of older adults and adults with special health care needs across the spectrum of health care services. It also prepares professionals for scholastic positions in geriatric and special needs dental education.
Graduate students collaborate with medical residents and other allied health care professionals while providing holistic care for patients who have complex dental, medical, or behavioral conditions. Students gain experience in the College of Dentistry's patient care clinics and, in tandem with the Geriatric Mobile Dental Unit, travel to nursing homes to provide on-site dental care with state-of-the-art mobile and portable dental equipment.
Highlights of the curriculum include experiences in advanced clinical geriatric and special needs dentistry, interdisciplinary geriatric patient assessment, geriatric and special needs dentistry case studies, outreach, and teaching practicum.
The Certificate in Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry requires the following coursework.
First Summer
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| GSND:5700 | Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry I | 4 |
First Fall
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| GSND:5702 | Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry II | 4 |
| GSND:5720 | Outreach/Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry I | 3 |
| GSND:5730 | Interdisciplinary Geriatric Patient Assessment I | 2 |
| GSND:5740 | Advanced Topics in Geriatric Dentistry and Special Needs I | 2 |
| GSND:5750 | Geriatric Dental Case Study Seminar I | 2 |
| GSND:5770 | Advanced Clinical Training for Developmentally Disabled Adults I | 2 |
First Spring
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| GSND:5703 | Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry III | 4 |
| GSND:5721 | Outreach/Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry II | 3 |
| GSND:5731 | Interdisciplinary Geriatric Patient Assessment II | 2 |
| GSND:5742 | Advanced Topics in Geriatric Dentistry and Special Needs II | 2 |
| GSND:5751 | Geriatric Dental Case Study Seminar II | 2 |
| GSND:5760 | Teaching Practicum in Geriatric Dentistry I | 2 |
| GSND:5771 | Advanced Clinical Training for Developmentally Disabled Adults II | 2 |
Second Summer
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| GSND:5704 | Advanced Clinical Geriatric Dentistry IV | 4 |
Applicants must hold a DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental school. International applicants should have at least three years of clinical experience in general dentistry and/or postgraduate prosthodontics training and be licensed dentists. All applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College. Contact the Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry Certificate Program to learn more.